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As seen through these amazing cars produced by BMW, the '80s was quite a significant era for the German carmaker.

For over 100 years, BMW has been a leader in automotive design and engineering, which has made it one of the biggest and most successful brands in the world.

Faced with the difficult task of choosing the best era for BMW cars, bikes, and motorsport projects, we'd argue the '80s represented BMW's best creations. It was the '80s that cemented the dominance of BMW M-Sport cars that are instantly recognizable as the ultimate driving machines that gearheads crave today. However, BMW has a few other tricks up its sleeve. During the '80s the marque was at the forefront of Motorsport in all forms, dominating touring cars, taking on and beating all comers.

Think BMW just makes road cars? You're wrong! In the '80s, BMW had just gotten into its stride, building the best cars and bikes money could buy.

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A survivor of the '70s, BMW's mid-engined M1 supercar continued in production until 1981. The troubled development and manufacturing story is common knowledge among gearheads and includes several Italian names in its route to market. Originally, BMW turned to both Lamborghini and Dallara for production and fabrication, only to return to BMW's Munich facility for final assembly.

The M1 was BMW's first mid-engined supercar featuring a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated straight-six putting down 273 hp and 243 lb ft of torque. Regardless of the overlong development process, the BMW M1 remains one of the German carmaker's most recognizable models to date.

BMW was no stranger to the mid-sized performance coupe segment, as the highly regarded 2002 turbo of the '70s had already proven. However, ask any gearhead to name a high performance German coupe/sedan, and you'll most likely be inundated with M3 responses. The M3 was all things to all men; fast, fun, and affordable.

However, the M3 wasn't the best in any one area. More of a jack of all trades, delivering genuine sports car level of performance without the associated spine-jarring ride. It was practical too, with a decent trunk and room for four inside. The E30 M3 kick-started a new genre of fast cars that took both road and track performance to another level.

RELATED: Legend Of The Racetrack: The 1986 BMW M3 E30

BMW's first "Z" badged car, the Z1, dared to be different. It might not have been the huge sales success BMW had hoped for, but those drop-away doors remain a topic of debate. Incredibly, it's been 30-years since BMW rolled the dice and gambled on the E30 series-based two-seater, and yet the Z1 still looks fresh.

However, the Z1 is more than just a sports car boasting trick doors. Peel away the bodywork, literally in this case. BMW designed every panel to be removable for cheaper and easier repairs.

The BMW Motorad K1 changed bikers perception of BMW bikes for good. Its design came about largely as a result of BMW self-imposing itself with a 100 hp power figure that limited performance. The solution was a simple one in theory; make the K1 as streamlined as possible.

In reality, it was a much more complex build that sets the K1 apart from most '80s bikes. Unlike its predecessor, the K1 used water cooling for its 987 cc four-cylinder engine leaving designers with free rein to enclose much of the front and sides. BMW's efforts paid off with a world beating coefficient drag of 0.34.

In the super-competitive world of F1, where points are hard fought for, the Brabham BT54 wasn't particularly successful. Hampered by poor track conditions and Pirelli tires, the BT54 claimed a single victory and 28 points over two seasons.

BMW's involvement was of greater importance. F1 during the '80s was all about turbos cranking out ridiculous power from tiny 1.5-liter displacements. The BMW M12/13 motor used a four-cylinder cast iron block and could trace its design back to the M10 from 1966. Widely regarded as the most powerful F1 engine ever produced the M12/13 running an astonishing 3.5-bar boost level, cranked out 1400 hp in qualifying trim.

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It's fair to say BMW has lost its way recently with the oversized double grille arrangement slapped on its current range. Turn back the clock to the mid '80s and things were much better. The 6-series evolved throughout the '70s and into the '80s, with the E24-M635i making its debut in 1984.

The "Sharknose" styling remains a fan favorite with collectors today for its aggressive stance. Not that the M635i needed any styling clues to bolster its sporting reputation. The M635 is one of BMW's most successful models, dominating every major motorsport series throughout the '80s, with dozens of titles to its credit.

Walk into a BMW showroom today, and you'll find Alpina-badged models alongside standard production BMWs. This wasn't always the case, and it has led to the production of some interesting high-performance variants of BMWs ultimate driving machines. First produced in 1988, the Alpina B12 serves as a reminder that "M" isn't the only path to superior performance.

Unlike the E32 750iL, on which it's based, the Alpina B12 isn't speed-limited, reaching a record top speed for a four-door-sedan of 171 mph. Under the hood, Alpina revised BMW's M70 V12, adding Mahle pistons, larger valves and an updated ECU boosting output to 350 hp.

The Paris-Dakar Rally is not for the faint-hearted. Covering thousands of km over some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet, often tests man and machine to their breaking point. Sand, heat, and mechanical woes can be life-threatening. However, a handful of crazy individuals opt for two-wheels over four.

If you really must pack light and use a bike, then BMW's G80R/S should be top of your wish list. Launched in 1980, BMW's niche defining "Adventure Bike" used a lightweight frame and Monolever swing arm designed for ease of maintenance. A dependable icon throughout the '80s, the R80G/S helped to win the Paris-Dakar Rally on three occasions.

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Admittedly, buying an E31 during the '80s wasn't possible. However, the 8-Series grand tourer that finally went on sale in 1990 started life in 1981. Crammed with the latest technology, designed and built using CAD/CAM the E31 boasted several firsts for BMW. In the range topping 850i, BMW pioneered the first drive-wire throttle and the pairing of a 6-speed manual transmission to a V12 engine.

The E31, despite its high-tech approach, never caught on with gearheads. Over a nine-year period, BMW produced just short of 30,000 cars spanning both the 840/850 line-up.

For all BMW's finalized products that made it to production, there are a few that deserve a mention. First up, the Z1 Break, clearly inspired or based upon the Z1 sports car with its drop away doors, but in a more functional hatchback or shooting brake body.

Much more intriguing was the 1981 AVT concept that never made it past the initial mock-up stage. Styling cues from the NAZCA featured across the front end while the rest of the car was intended as a wind-tunnel experiment for publicity purposes. While neither of these made the cut, they are nonetheless showcases for BMW's creativity.

Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.